It was a calm, ordinary day in Ponyville. The sky was clear, the birds were singing, and ponies went about their day to day business in a relaxed manner, keeping their eyes out for whatever weirdness was about to happen. It was Tuesday, after all, and something odd happened in Ponyville every Tuesday. This made Ponyville a very exciting place to live, while still pleasant for those who enjoyed having a regular routine.
The focus of Ponyville's present peaceful air seemed to be around a small house at the end of a curving path. Like most houses in Ponyville, it had a unique interior and exterior design to reflect its residents. Unlike most houses, however, it appeared to almost be divided in twain, with each half showing a different style. One side seemed to be made of wood in sepia tones, with organ pipe smokestacks instead of a single chimney poking through the straw roof. The other side was blue stone and rose to a second floor. The first floor windows all had a Bass Clef engraved in the glass and looked out onto windowsill flower beds. The second story window had a Forte symbol engraved in the glass. From within the house, the sound of a softly played cello could be heard wafting out the windows, carrying on the wind.
The peace was shattered as the entire house ceased to exist, scattered into energy and light as a massive fortress warped into place on the property, an effigy of a skull resting in an upside down horseshoe that blazed with moving blue light on the front.
Not far away, the day's groceries fell from Vinyl's magical grip as she saw what had happened to her home...and her roommate who had still been inside. Unable to find her voice, she rushed towards the fortress, desperately trying to grab hold of Octavia with her magic, hoping against hope that she was alright.
This resulted in the arrival beam of several cybernetic lifeforms and their pony companion locking onto Vinyl's location, scattering her in telefrag as they arrived. The magic linking Vinyl and Octavia as they were telefraged caused them to be sent back along the arrival signal of the Fortress back to the world it had come from. As the two signals underwent temporal stabilization, Octavia's energy signal became supersaturated with chronitons, and Vinyl's was propelled further back though more stable as a result. Signal degradation over distance and time without mechanical support meant that both signals would be somewhat reduced when they arrived and reconstructed.
Octavia stared around at the world they had arrived in. "Well...this is rather picturesque," she murmured softly as she stared out at the peaceful village filled with terrified screams and fleeing populace. "Though not the warmest possible receptions..."
"Pretty sure it's what's behind you," Prometheus pointed out bluntly. "The giant skull fortress?"
Turning around, Octavia saw what he was talking about. "Oh...yes...I suppose that's not part of the normal countryside?"
"No, that's Wily's Fortress," Prometheus responded firmly. "Looking exactly like it did when it vanished from Earth just before The End. Though...it was flying then."
"So that's where Vinyl is?" Zero asked curiously.
"And Wily, and several others," Dynamo confirmed, his voice halting and stuttering as one eye glowed blue under his visor.
X turned towards Dynamo with a frown. "And how do you know-"
"Like I told Octavia, Prometheus isn't the only old relic," Dynamo interrupted bluntly. "Now we should be getting in there. If I'm right, Vinyl's going to need to see some happy once we're in."
"He's right," Prometheus confirmed as he stepped up to the entrance, placing his hand on a scanner. After a time, the door beeped and slid open, granting them entry. "Let's go."
As the group moved forward through the Fortress, the defenses ignoring them, Octavia stared around as she took it all in. It definitely resembled pre-End Times facilities - which made sense, considering it was from those times - and seeing such a place at peak functionality was absolutely fascinating. However, Prometheus led them unerringly towards a high tower, where their path was blocked by four robots unlike any she'd ever seen before.
"Prometheus," the one that looked like jet-based transformer in robot mode stated in a monotone voice as they approached. "You are not supposed to be here until your job is complete. It has not even been a full hour."
"Been a few centuries for me, Typhon," Prometheus countered. "How's she doing?"
"Not well," the one who looked to be made of wood observed. "But that's to be expected."
"I bring good news for her, Gaius," Prometheus offered hopefully. "That should cheer her up. And...some people she should meet." He gestured to the rest of the group.
The four robots stared at the group, then nodded and stepped back to let them pass. Prometheus walked up to the door and let it open. Inside the chamber at the top of the tower, Vinyl sat in Albert's lap, her flesh and blood hoof held to her eyes as she struggled not to cry while her metal leg banged rhythmically against the arm of the chair. "...Vinyl..."
Vinyl looked up in surprise, quickly pushing her glasses back down over her eyes before she opened them. "Prometheus?" she asked, coughing a bit to clear her throat. "How are you here so fast?"
"Mars advanced very fast," Prometheus explained. "By the time they got here, they were able to lock onto when you arrived to send us to meet you."
"Us?" Vinyl asked curiously. "You...you brought friends? Then..."
"Why don't you let me give introductions?" Prometheus offered. He sent a silent signal, and X stepped into the room, Piano at his side.
Vinyl managed a sad smile. "...so you're X," she murmured softly. "Last time I saw you, you weren't even half finished. And who's the dog?"
"My support unit, Piano," X explained. "He's been useful...even if his Adaptor makes me fluffy." Piano barked playfully, rolling into X for belly rubs.
Vinyl managed a soft chuckle, smiling wider as she saw Zero enter, Timbre on his shoulder. "And you seem to have thrived," she mused softly. "What name did you choose for yourself?"
"I'm Zero, Mom, Gramps," he greeted warmly. "This is Timbre, my support unit."
"Zero, huh?" Albert mused idly. "Well, X was named as a variable...I suppose it makes sense your name is the absolute."
"So, booblights..." Vinyl began, grinning mischievously.
"...don't start that again..." Zero grumbled irritably. "They're power cores-"
"Oh, I know!" Vinyl confirmed. "I designed you, after all." She pointed to his crotch. "But when I first built you, they were there." She tilted her head as she heard a pair of feminine giggles. "Did you bring some ladies?"
Alia and Iris stepped in calmly, moving to stand beside their husbands. "This is Alia and Iris," Prometheus introduced. "X and Zero's wives."
"You managed to get married?" Vinyl asked happily. "Then...the world I wanted...it does exist?" Her voice quavered somewhat.
"Beyond what you could have imagined," Prometheus assured her. "And mostly thanks to my father-in-law."
"You're married too?" Vinyl demanded eagerly.
Armatige slowly walked into the room. "GLN-003, Armatige," she introduced herself. "I was the masterpiece of my father, Gate. His goal was to erase the line separating Reploids and humans-"
"You're shitting me!" Vinyl interrupted. "I know that reference! You're telling me you can breed?"
Armatige chuckled softly. "Yes. Father designed a synthetic womb which allowed Reploid females to bear children, their TDNA crafted from splicing the mother's RDNA code as reproductive code with donor samples from a Reploid or human partner. As a result...nearly all life on Earth now is Terran...a fusion of organic and synthetic life."
"Our three boys, Thomas, Mikhail, and Albert, run Earth between them," Prometheus explained.
Zero jerked a thumb towards X. "And our kids are its protectors."
X rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Please don't remind me of the Memezord..."
Vinyl burst into laughter. "Oh, I have got to hear these stories!" Her laughter faded. "Then if the world's so good..." She craned her head towards the door.
Axl took his cue, walking into the room with Marino and Cinnamon at his sides, Tango leading the way.
Vinyl hopped down to the floor, walking towards Axl with a clip-clop-clip-CLANK. "Anton...you..." Levitating herself up, she pressed her metal leg to his cheek. Tears trailed down her cheeks. "...your parents would be so happy for you..."
Axl lifted a hand to cup the limb, instinctively knowing it was his father's. Tears beaded his own eyes.
"I am happy for them, Vinyl," Octavia spoke softly, stepping into the room with Classic at her side.
Vinyl gasped, dropping out of her levitation...only to be caught in Octavia's as her Ultimate Armor triggered. "Tavi...it's...it's you?"
Octavia smiled as she stepped forward, gently setting Vinyl down. "Yes, it's me-"
Her words were cut off as Vinyl cannoned into her, burying her face in Octavia's shoulder, flesh foreleg wrapped around her neck as she wept. "Tav...I messed up..." she wept. "I wanted to make it better...I wanted to save everyone...but I missed it, and now they're all gone, and it's all my fault..." She clung tightly to Octavia like a rock in a raging river. "It's all my fault..."
Octavia responded with gentle shushing as she wrapped Vinyl in a warm embrace, letting her cry herself out for now.